When witches go riding and black cats are seen the moon laughs and whispers 'tis near halloween' (author unknown)

Its that time of year again - do you turn out the lights and ignore the doorbell or do you carve a pumpkin and give out handfuls of sweets from a cauldron? Yes Halloween is almost here, but have you ever wondered why?

It is traditional now to have fancy dress parties, take the kids trick or treating or attend a ghost hunt at the local derelict building but these are all things that evolved over the years.  Halloween is thought to have originated from the ancient Celtic festival known as 'Samhein' which was a celebration of the end of the harvest in Gaelic culture and was used to prepare for the winter and take stock of supplies.

The Gaelics believed on the 31st October there was an overlap between the living and the dead world and the deceased were thought to come back to life and cause havoc on the living. The Gaelics would light bonfires and wear costumes to attempt to scare away the evil spirits. People would also place food outside their homes to keep the spirits happy and prevent them from entering.

Many things that we associate with halloween today have originated from ancient times - the carved pumpkin would have originally been a swede which was carved into a lantern as a way of remembering lost souls and trick or treating is thought to have originated in medieval times when it was known as 'souling', poor people would go door to door and be given food in return for prayers for the dead.

Today Halloween is a huge commercial enterprise. The shops are full of a cornucopia of merchandise for adults and children alike. So whether you are choosing to participate or not here is a brief survival guide to get you through

- If you run out of petrol, do not go to the nearby deserted house for help.

- If your companions begin to exhibit uncharacteristic behaviour such as hissing, fascination for blood or glowing eyes - run!

- Don't stand in, on, above, below, beside or anywhere near a grave, mausoleum or other house of the dead.

- As a general rule, don't try to solve any puzzles that open a portal to Hell.

- When you have the benefit of numbers, DO NOT go it alone.

- Do not search the cellar, even if the power has gone out.

but most of all ...... have fun!!

(survival guide - possumal.homestead.com/halloween/Survival)